Well, wow. Uzma Jalaluddin does it again! I really enjoyed Ayesha at Last, and I'm happy to report that Hana Khan Carries On is even better!

Usually when I finish a book, I have an idea of what I want to say about it, and how I feel. This book has taken me a week to step back and think about those things - which I love because it tells me that this book is more complex than people might expect. And there are so many more layers to this story than you can imagine.

This is a very slow burn romance (no steam) between Hana and Aydin, and their bond is centered more on their friendship and connection to their cultures and community. The romance definitely takes a back seat to the more pressing issues of microagressions/racism/islamaphobia in Hana's Canadian suburb. Hana has to deal with the ways that make her feel authentic, seen, and respected, while figuring out the right balance between her future and her family's past. The ties between the community are so powerful, and wonderful to see.

This story is bold and unflinching, yet warm and tender. Jalaluddin manages to balance the heartbreak with the joy, the uncertainty with hope. I alternated between laughing, crying, getting angry, and sighing with content. You'll go through all the emotions during Hana Khan Carries On, and it will be so worth it. This is a MUST read!

Thank you to Berkley Publishing for the advanced copy of Hana Khan Carries On in exchange for my honest review.

Unfortunately, this book just did not work for me and I ended up not finishing it. Though I knew what the plot was going in of course, the way it was executed made the story too unbelievable and cliche for me to take seriously. I wish the romance had started out differently or that we had gotten time to know Hana before being introduced to the romantic aspect of the book. The first chapter is a podcast transcript with comments, and the comments between her and StanleyP are immediately overly intimate and flirtatious, and I just found it hard to believe that a woman in this day and age would be so trusting of a random commenter on the Internet. I think it would have helped to see the creation of the podcast or see other commenters or something else to make it more believable, but since it was written this way I found it hard to get behind the romance because it was introduced so early. The comments between them were also full of cliches that I just couldn't get behind as a reader and that in real life a woman probably would have found creepy and ignored. I know the whole point of this book was a modern You've Got Mail-style romance, but I think it would have worked better if we had gotten Hana's perspective earlier on and seen the online relationship grow from her eyes. It seemed to me that this book wanted to be two different stories, one being the You've Got Mail romance-over-texts and the other about rival restaurants. Both could have worked individually, but I think the execution fell flat since they were written together. I really wanted to love this book because I really enjoyed Jalaluddin's writing in AYESHA AT LAST, but it's hard to read a romance you don't believe in when reading a romcom.

Hana Khan Carries On is an immaculately entertaining, heartfelt, and smart novel that I'd recommend to all. It's not your stereotypical "minority girl-experiences-hardships-and-guy-comes-to-save-her" type of rom-com plot; it's so much more. Hana, a twenty-something Indian-Canadian Muslim woman, is strong-willed, passionate, and intelligent. The dynamic character developments and multifaceted personalities of Hana and the other characters are a joy to experience. Plus, the surprises in this novel are perfect; the range of emotions I experienced while reading Hana's story were truly amazing. Uzma Jalaluddin had already written spectacularly in her debut novel, Ayesha At Last; Hana Khan Carries On further proves that Jalaluddin writes Muslim representation and romance like no other, (5/5)

Being the daughter of South Asian immigrants, I have been obsessed with stories of/by South Asian heroines/authors. For that reason the minute I read the blurb for Hana Khan Carries On (HKCO) I was sold. There is nothing I love more than stories that are relatable and HKCO more than delivers! 

I loved that HKCO was a modern retelling of You've Got Mail but with a current feel with real life issues today. This story was thought-provoking, compelling, emotional and touched on issues of racism and provides an insightful view on being Muslim in today's society. I was enthralled with Hana and Aydin and their connection. I got butterflies and felt all the swoons at their banter and the progression of their relationship. This was such a sweet story! 4 stars! ~Ratula ❤, 4 stars!

I would like to thank Netgalley and the publisher for an advanced copy of this book for an honest review.

Uzma Jalaluddin's Hana Khan Carries On offers a glimpse of 2nd generation immigrant life in Toronto. Hana's voice is vibrant.

Thank you to Berkley and NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

CW: ill/disabled parent, racism, sexism, family tensions, pregnancy with complications (side character), Islamaphobic attack, Islamophobia, hate-crime

I would recommend this book if you're looking for (SPOILERS)

-m/f enemies to lovers
-a modern twist on You've Got Mail
-epistolary romance
-family secrets abound

I adored this one. This book wove so many threads, tying them together beautifully, making it hard to put down. I loved Hana's drive, her character development as she learns to let some things go, as her dreams change. While heavy at times, this book was deeply intrenched not just with Hana's family, a child of Indian immigrants, but also her community and her mosque.

While definitely a fiction read, centering on Hana and her journey, I loved the twist on You've Got Mail, connecting with someone over her podcast before they start talking over DM. The romance was subtle but beautiful. While contrasting the enemies to lovers vibes with Aydin. Even though it was clear where the book was going, getting there was such a journey. Hana was witty, family-focused, loyal, and complex. She makes mistakes, grows over the book. Neither Hana or Aydin are perfect making the book that much more realistic. Such a great read, I was so dissapointed when it was over because I just wanted more time with these characters.

Here's hoping Rashid gets his own HEA.

Rating: 5
Steam: 0

Uzma Jalaluddin's super power is being inspired by artistic works and then making it into a novel that's completely her own. Here, she does it with the movie "You've Got Mail." Updated to 2021, Hana Khan communicates with her Tom Hanks counterpart StanleyP through DMs, started when they connected as a result of her anonymous podcast, Ana's Brown Girl Rambles. Hana's life intersects with the actual StanleyP when he and and his father open a flashy new halal restaurant across from the struggling restaurant her mother owns. Misunderstandings, family secrets, questionable plots to bring down the new restaurant, career worries, and unexpected relatives keep Hana's life busy...and then there's that enormously attractive but arrogant Aydin across the way. So much fun but with some serious themes to consider, too.

I adored Ayesha at Last and was so excited to read this follow-up, especially because it drew inspiration from You've Got Mail, a movie I adore! Alas, while there was much to love here, the plot lacked the crispness and clarity of Ayesha, and felt like at a certain point the novel became more issues-driven than story-driven.

That being said, I would still recommend it for readers who enjoyed Ayesha at Last, of course, and to those who enjoyed Rachel Lynn Solomon's The Ex Talk for the fun podcasting storyline. Lamar Giles's Not So Pure and Simple would also be a good comp, for the way it incorporates media into the narrative.

Lets start with this COVER!!! 😍 and then let’s continue with: I LOVED THIS BOOK

I don’t even know where to begin or end with this one. Hana Khan Carries On spoke to me as a child of immigrants. The questions that arise in regards to family, identity, life, dreams.

Hana struggles in all aspects of her life. She encounters ignorant racists and their disgusting hate crimes. She struggles in finding her footing within the career she dreams of. Struggles with growing up and into adulthood, understanding fate and coincidence and CHOICE. The importance and gift that is giving and having a choice.

My final thoughts:
I loved these characters (all of them)
I want to (so badly) share some of the quotes that most touched me, but because it’s an ARC...I can’t 💔
not me gaining another fictional character crush 😪😪😪 (@ Aydin)
and finally...READ THIS BOOK!!!

Hana Khan is a young woman with dreams. Born and bred in Toronto to immigrant parents and waitressing part-time in their halal restaurant, what she really wants is to have her own radio show to shine a light on her fellow Muslims’ life stories, rather than retreading stereotypes. As an intern at a popular local radio station and a podcaster trying to grow an audience for her pseudonymous “Ana’s Brown Girl Rambles”, she’s doing everything she can to make those dreams reality, but sometimes life gets a bit … complicated.

Enter Aydin. In the close-knit Golden Crescent neighborhood, Three Sisters Biryani Poutine is the only game in town as far as halal restaurants go, but business is struggling. When slightly cocky young man, Aydin, and his imperious father show up in town one day with plans to build an upscale gourmet halal restaurant across the street, well … as they say, all is fair in love and war. Luckily, Hana is able to vent her frustrations and get “battle” advice from her longest and most loyal podcast listener, the anonymous ‘StanleyP.’, with whom she has a charming, flirtatious and not-yet defined relationship, since neither of them know each other’s true identity.

Does that part sound like the movie “You’ve Got Mail” where Tom Hanks is the incoming big box bookstore rival of Meg Ryan’s small but beloved neighborhood bookstore, as well as being her anonymous online friend? It should, and I only realized today that the publisher’s blurb actually makes that comparison itself. For over half the book, I thought it would stay in that lane - the standard but delightful ‘fluff ‘n’ stuff’ that most rom-coms do. Things take a slightly darker, but not heavy, turn later when Aydin, Hana, and her adorably fun 18-year-old cousin, Rashid, have a negative encounter that shines a light on the consequences of Muslims being stereotyped and misunderstood and causes further potential threat to their neighborhood.

It stays in rom-com territory, but it also gives immersive insight into the Muslim experience from their point of view, which I appreciated. Why not learn something about another culture WHILE waiting for the inevitable love match to be made? It was eye-opening, thoughtful and fun, which gave it a little more heft than I expect from most books in this genre. Jalaluddin has written a story full of fascinating and mostly likeable characters, a wonderful community rich with tradition, and she even snuck a completely unexpected twist past me! I loved the enemies to friends chemistry between Aydin and Hana, eternal optimist Rashid is just so darn lovable, Hana’s spunky aunt, Kawkab Khala, adds just the right pinch of flavor to the narrative, and the story strikes a nice balance between light-hearted and contemplative. If you’ve watched or read rom-coms, there will be few surprises, but seeing a story through a different cultural lens was a breath of fresh air!

★★★★

Thanks to NetGalley, Berkeley Publishing Group, and author Uzma Jalalludin for this ARC in exchange for my honest opinion. This book will be published on April 13, 2021.

A sweet read that packs more of a punch than you realize at first. I wasn't sure if this was YA or chick-lit, but I give it high scores for managing to appeal to a wide audience and to present more serious issues skillfully in a rom-com vehicle. You can't help but love the characters and cheer for them. As a reader, I finished the book with high hopes that there would be a follow up because I was not ready to say goodbye to Hana.
This book has the possibility of impacting a wide range of readers who normally wouldn't pick up a book on Muslim issues. Should be featured in every library.

Technically this book is adult fiction because the protagonist is 24 years old, but the halal rom-com is so sweet and considering the YA options that exist in the same genre, I think high school juniors and senior would do better to dive in to this light, enjoyable, albeit predictable, read over so many of the other options out there.  I read the 368 page book in two days, I was hooked and impressed with the strength of all the female characters, the step away from all the stereotypical tropes and the smooth writing style.  The book is for everyone and while packaged as a light read, there are some themes of immigration, family, choice, and OWN voice realizations that are presented and explored in a thoughtful and impactful manner.

SYNOPSIS:

Hana Khan's mother owns and operates Three Sisters Biriyani Poutine in Toronto, there are not three sisters, biriyani poutine is not on the menu and business is bad, really bad.  The 15 year old restaurant that Hana named when she was nine is struggling even though it is the only halal option in the close-knit, diverse, golden crescent community.  When news hits that a new upscale halal restaurant is opening a few doors down, Hana chooses to ignore that the business was struggling and instead blames the new proprietors.  They are wealthy, corporate and insufferable.  Well, the dad is anyway, the son Aydin, he isn't so easily defined.

Hana balances shifts at the restaurant, her internship at Radio Toronto and her own anonymous brown girl podcast.  Hana, real name Hanaan, comes from a supportive and close family.  Her dad was injured in a serious car accident, her older sister is pregnant, and her cousin from India along with a cousin-aunt have just arrived under suspicious circumstances. 

As the new restaurant gets closer to opening, Hana finds herself stooping to all new lows to sabotage their success.  Encouraged by an anonymous podcast listener who she has been chatting with for quite a while, and inspired by her rebel cousin-aunt, Hana is determined to secure a permanent job in radio, save her family restaurant, and destroy the competition.  But, an attack downtown draws attention to growing Islamophobia and forces Aydin and Hana to work together.  

In a fictional story where everyone knows everyone both in India and Toronto, crazy family members are endearing and loyal, it is no surprise that the main characters are more connected than they think.  As Hana finds her strength to carry on amidst change, she also figures out what direction to focus her energy, her talents, and voice.

WHY I LIKE IT:

I absolutely love the writing.  I was invested in many of the characters, not just the protagonist, and absolutely cheered as she gave a nod to so many assumptions so that she could move past them: forced marriage, hijab, acceptable professions, inclusion, etc.. The family is all about choice and not getting hung up on stereotypes show the power that OWN voices have in telling stories that resonate with everyone.  The book is full of religion, from waking up for fajr, to listening to the khutbah at jumah, going to the masjid to find peace, and believing in destiny.  It is not a preachy book by any means, but the characters are Muslim inside and out.  The traditional family does not pressure Hana to get married, her sister's marriage was a love one.  She is often alone with her male cousin or brother in law, or best friend Yusuf.  She knows who she is and her family trusts her.  

I love the food, the insight of immigrants and family.  I was particularly moved by her articulation of being told by outsiders what it means to be Muslim in Canada, or an immigrant and then not being listened to when pushed back upon. Her challenging a teacher on what the fourth pillar of Islam is and not being heard, resonated profoundly.  

Within the first 100 pages or so the reader figures out who everyone is and how they are connected, save one surprise, but it is like watching a favorite movie, you keep going because it is fun, and enjoyable and the point isn't to figure it out, but to enjoy the ride.

FLAGS:

There are relationship threads, but nothing more detailed than a hand touch after a funeral.  Her best friend Yusuf marries their best friend Lily an Agnostic, knowing that both families are against it.  There is music and racist talk and vandalism.

TOOLS FOR LEADING THE DISCUSSION:

The high school book club usually tries to include a halal romance novel for the loyal participants that clamor for it in the group and I plan to suggest this one to them.  For as light and straightforward as the book is, there is a lot to discuss when the surface is peeled back.  There would be lot to explore from her podcast, internship experience, and her hate crime experience, that the romance part will be seen as simply a vessel to more profound issues to explore.

I legit cried during Hana Khan Carries On. Talk about a book that wrung every emotion I had out of me. It took all my sadness, anger, happiness, and laughter. Hana is such a spunky character. She has to not only tackle the racism and islamaphobia against her community, but she has to figure out difficult conversations about representation and education. In order to succeed, should she portray everything that's expect of her? How does she stay authentic to her own stories and community? In the midst of changing communities and competition, how do we honor the past, while moving into the future?

At the same time, the "You've Got Mail" angle was perfection. I remember how it twisted my heart the first time I saw the film. Hana Khan Carries On that, "can they figure this out together?" feeling from the original while also updating the original. Often I can be disappointed by re-tellings, but this one nailed it. Additionally, Hana Khan Carries On is about banding together as a community. Against the microaggressions, ignorance, and racism. To tell the stories that are authentic to us, not what they expect.

I will try to articulate my thoughts about this book in a clear and concise manner but forgive me if my excitement gets in the way of that!

I absolutely LOVED Hana Khan Carries On. It was bold. It was heartwarming. It was hilarious. And it definitely had many many filmy moments!

Jalaluddin challenges any and all stereotypes of South Asian immigrant families in relation to religion, gender, and more. This book perfectly encapsulates what it is like to be a minority in a predominantly white country. How ignorant even those who claim to be on your side can be. How hard it is to pursue a “nontraditional” career even when given the freedom to do it. How a community can be unraveled by greed.

Hana and I are both Indian and so of course I was able to see myself in her and relate to her, but this book is so much more than that. It feels like being seen. Being an adult and trying to navigate employment, family, and love is hard and can be extremely isolating. Hana’s experiences mirror a lot of my own and it’s nice to be reminded every once in a while that I am not alone in my experiences however often I feel like I am.

And even if you can’t relate to the experience of being a minority, this book makes it easy to understand. Not to mention it's hilarious with plenty of lovable characters, lots of banter (AND TENSION), and a hint of mystery.

Basically, every South Asian woman should read this wonderful wonderful book (and Ayesha At Last of course!).

Thank you for the ARC!

Thank you Netgalley for the e-ARC for this book.
This book was amazing!!!
Restaurants, drama, secrets, what more could you need?

This book was amazing! Y'all know that I'm a sucker for multimedia in books and this had it all - podcast transcripts, Facebook threads, texts and DMS, oh my! Listening to this as an audiobook would be purely divine.

But more than that, this book also touched on islamophobia, microaggressions, and even hate crimes. This book made me angry on Hana's behalf by just reading about these transgressions. It's abhorrent that people have to deal with this in their daily lives.

If you're looking for a modern love story with a focus on family, culture, and food, this one's for you.

*Thank you to NetGalley and HarperAvenue for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.*

The author describes her book as a "Muslim Rom-Com". Though chick-lit and rom-coms are not really my jam, it was warmly entertaining. I appreciate that giving me a glimpse into a culture with which I am unfamiliar was interesting and novel. (mind you, it was well written, and if the reader is a fan of Rom-Coms, I would not hesitate to recommend it)

First of all, I want to say that I was genuinely surprised by how quickly I became invested in this book. i already knew I was going to enjoy it because I loved Ayesha at Last (you can check out my review for that HERE) but this one genuinely blew my mind at some points. I’m so glad it lived up to the hype in my head because it was one of my most anticipated books of the year!

This book follows Hana, who works at her family’s halal restaurant in a small desi community. She’s passionate and hard headed and driven and creative and I absolutely loved getting to know her and see her growth throughout the book. I really related to her, especially during the moments when she was angry and stubborn and a little insecure about the future. It made her more three dimensional and real and I loved that.

Hana’s not great with change (same) and things start changing pretty quickly when another halal restaurant opens across the street. it’s newer and flashier and definitely NOT great for business. And of course, the restaurant owner is this totally know-it-all man named Aydin.

Now of course, to make things even more interesting, neither of them knows that they’ve been talking to each other anonymously on Hana’s podcast platform! I loved how this was inspired by You’ve Got Mail but with many more layers to the book.

Not only do we get some really fun moments between Hana and Aydin with their whole frenemy vibe, we also get to see SO MUCH DRAMA. Like for real I thought Ayesha at Last was dramatic, but this one was like watching an Indian drama. I loved the social commentary not only from Hana’s podcast but also in her radio internship where her white “ally” boss tried to get Hana and her brown coworker Thomas to use their brown card to fit the white narrative for the views. The dynamic between Hana and Thomas was really interesting and I really enjoyed seeing that throughout the book!

I also loved Rashid so much. I didn’t expect to like his character in the beginning but oh my goodness he was so funny and earnest and truly made the whole book so wonderful. His humor was top tier! And his interaction with Hana’s friend Yusuf was honestly the funniest thing! I loved that he was sort of played off as this gullible new-to-America kid but in actuality he brought some wisdom and a new perspective to Hana’s story.

The other character I really enjoyed was Zulfa because a) I have a friend named Zulfa so it was just really funny trying to imagine her (shoutout to lovelyowlsbooks lol) and b) because seeing Hana’s perspective change throughout the book to show her growth was BRILLIANT.

I didn’t really care too much about Lily and Yusuf, but I think it was important to have them in the story specifically because of their relationship to Hana. I think it added more relatability to Hana’s character in my opinion.

ALSO I had no idea what to think about Billi Khala but oh my goodness the DRAMA. and like the peak drama at around 80% I WAS SCREAMING. I can’t even talk about it without wanting to spill all the tea about everything that happened!

The only reason this book isn’t a full 5 stars is just some minor issues I had personally but it didn’t hinder my enjoyment of the book at all. I was scared that the little plotlines that were adding up would get to be too much for the ending but surprisingly it wrapped up pretty nicely (though I do wish the ending had been longer so that it didn’t feel so rushed for me).

I would recommend this to anyone who enjoys a great rivals to lovers story inspired by You’ve Got Mail! If you enjoy creating stories or listening to podcasts, biryani, strange combinations of food, Taylor Swift, and great social commentary you will definitely enjoy this book! I would recommend this to people who want really great drama (like edge of your seat screaming at the tv level of drama) and some perfect tension created by the fact that you know they know each other but they don’t know that! Also if you enjoyed Ayesha at Last you might see a cameo! Which made my heart very happy!

I really liked this book. Uzma Jalaluddin is one of my favorite authors and I really enjoyed Ayesha at Last, so I was super excited for his book. I liked Hana's podcast and her relationship with her online friend, Stanley. It was interesting to see that Hana did her podcast under a name that wasn't her own. Hana has a lot of anger in the beginning of the book. She directs that anger towards a lot of people coming into her life, and I think her growth throughout the book reflects her dealing with that anger. Her internal struggles were really fascinating and I liked reading about them. Honestly, I wasn't a huge fan of any of the couples, but this isn't a romance novel so I didn't mind. This book is about Hana Khan, and I loved Hana Khan. This book had some great social commentary. There was a whole section about Islamophobia in Canada and how white supremacy is a global issue. I thought those discussions were really interesting. The radio internship that Hana worked at was also super interesting to read about. Her boss, a white Western woman, reflects the views and ideals many white, Western women, especially those who view Muslim women as a monolith and a one dimensional stereotype. Her co-worker was a brown man, and there was a lot of interesting discussions about misogyny and religious tensions within the south asian community. I would love to read more about Hana and Thomas' (the brown guy) work dynamic because it was so fascinating and a combination I haven't seen much in literature. Overall, this book was incredible. Going forward, it is going to be a staple contemporary book for my shelf. I will definitely be recommending it to anyone who likes "you've got mail," even though I have no idea what "you've got mail" is. I think it's a movie. Happy reading!

Hana Khan Carries On is a charming and fun book reminiscent of You’ve Got Mail that is perfect for people looking for a romance read that isn’t afraid to touch on heavier subjects. I really enjoyed this book, and I cannot believe more people aren’t talking about it! The fact that more people aren’t sharing this wonderful book is a crime. The characterization of Hana is great, and her cousin Rashid might go down as one of my favorite fictional characters. I loved the dynamic between Hana and Aydin, and I thought their relationship was really well done. I can’t wait to pick up the author’s other book!
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CW- Islamophobia, hate crimes, assault
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Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing a copy of this book in exchange for my honest opinion.